BGuthrie Photos: MD -- Fort McHenry Natl Monument -- Exhibit Rooms Inside Fort

MD -- Fort McHenry Natl Monument -- Exhibit Rooms Inside Fort:

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. FTMCEX_161014_006.JPG: Lincoln... Hero or Dictator? The Price of Security
2. FTMCEX_161014_015.JPG: A Civil War... Fort McHenry Transformed
3. FTMCEX_161014_024.JPG: The Star-Spangled Banner... a Flag of Tyranny
4. FTMCEX_161014_042.JPG: The Star-Spangled Banner... A Flag of Freedom
5. FTMCEX_161014_051.JPG: President Lincoln, Brogden and the Constitution
6. FTMCEX_161014_061.JPG: 1805: A New Fort and a New Flag Although the United States won its independence in 1783, the threat of foreign invasion remained. To protect the young republic, the federal government launched an ambitious program of building forts near America's primary cities along the East Coast. Fort McHenry was one of those forts. Completed in 1805 and named after the Secretary of War, James McHenry, the new fort boasted five points or "bastions," accommodations for over 150 soldiers and a line of heavy artillery aimed downriver. The first flag to fly over the newly constructed ramparts was a 15-star, 15-stripe banner, reflecting the recently added states of Vermont and Kentucky.
7. FTMCEX_161014_068.JPG: 1812: Trial by Fire ... the War of 1812: "Baltimore ... the one great American port over which no enemy flag has ever waved." -- President Warren G. Harding, June 14, 1922 The newly-constructed fort in Baltimore received its severest test during the War of 1812. Although the conflict began with a series of American invasions into Canada, the arrival of a British squadron in the Chesapeake Bay a year later resulted in hurried improvements to Fort McHenry. New artillery positions, additional cannon, and outer work such as the Ravelin, bolstered the fort's material defenses. Preparations included the making of a large 30 x 42-foot American flag. In addition to defying the British, the large flag raised the morale and confidence of the defenders of the fort and the city. The British attacked on September 13, 1814. Following a bombardment lasting over 25 hours, the huge American flag signaled that the garrison held against great odds. In one day, the fort proved its value in safeguarding the city and became a national symbol as the birthplace of Francis Scott Key's song: "The Star-Spangled Banner."
8. FTMCEX_161014_071.JPG: 1829: Strengthening the Fort: Today, the fort appears much as it did following extensive renovations between 1829 and 1836. Improvements included the addition of earthworks, removal of trees, and reinforcement of earthen ramparts with brick and granite walls. To provide for a larger garrison s second story was added to the interior buildings. Eventually, the quiet lapping of the Patapsco River replaced the noise of construction, and the fort remained a peaceful, quiet post until the Mexican-American War. Like the fort, the American flag changed a great deal following the War of 1812. Congress returned the flag to its 13-stripe design and called for additional stars to represent states added to the union.
9. FTMCEX_161014_075.JPG: 1846: Ho! For Mexico! With the outbreak of war in 1846, Fort McHenry changed from a quiet military post to a scene of bustling activity. Though far removed from the battlefields in Mexico, Fort McHenry served a vital role as a training ground, supply depot, and embarkation point. The American flag took on a new role as well. For the first time, American troops carried the stars and stripes into battle. The military's extensive use of the flag and the thousands who enthusiastically volunteered to fight reflected the growing nationalism of a young country feeling its strength as an emerging world power. The scene above depicts volunteers of the Fifth Regiment, Maryland Volunteer Infantry. On July 15, 1847, officers of this regiment presented a gold-handled cane to their commander. Colonel Hickman, prior to their departure for Mexico. This festive mood would stand in stark contrast to the rights of long marches in a hot climate with poor food and little water. As a result of the war, Mexico lost almost half of its territory, paving the way for the addition of states to the union and stars on the flag.
10. FTMCEX_161014_082.JPG: 1861: When the Civil War erupted in April 1861, Maryland was bitterly divided between North and South. On April 19, 1861, a bloody riot in Baltimore left four Union soldiers and nine Baltimoreans dead. To maintain control of Baltimore, and by extension Maryland, Fort McHenry's cannons were aimed at the city. To suppress pro-Confederate sentiment, Union forces shut down newspapers, monitored telegraph lines, imposed martial law and arrested anyone suspected of being pro-Southern. Although bloodless, the swift, decisive measures taken at Fort McHenry secured the city for the Union Cause. With Fort McHenry in Union hands, Maryland, and the rest of the South, remained as stars in the flag snapping over the ramparts. "The loss of Baltimore would have been the loss of Maryland; the loss of Maryland would have been the loss of the national capital, and perhaps, if not probably, the loss of the Union cause." -- Union Maj. Gen. John Dix, 1861 A Victory Greater than Gettysburg: Fort McHenry in Union Hands 1861-1865
11. FTMCEX_161014_088.JPG: 1861: One Family, One Flag? Over the course of the Civil War, Union forces confined over 2,000 prisoners of state at Fort McHenry. One of them was Frank Key Howard, the grandson of Francis Scott Key. On September 13, 1861, federal authorities arrested Howard for his editorials in The Baltimore Daily Exchange. Howard's views show how difficult it was for Marylanders to choose sides. Howard initially disagreed with the secession of the southern states, but also believed that force should not be used to bring them back into the Union. His criticism of the Lincoln administration resulted in his arrest and the closure of his newspaper. "I could not but contrast my position with his, forty-seven years before. The flag which he had then so proudly hailed, I saw waving, at the same place, over the victims of as vulgar and brutal a despotism as modern times have witnessed." -- Frank Key Howard, September 14, 1861
12. FTMCEX_161014_092.JPG: 1917: The Great War -- General Hospital No. 2 During the First World War, Fort McHenry served as one of the largest military hospitals in the nation. A staff of 1,000 doctors, nurses, medical corpsmen and aides ran the 3,000-bed hospital from 1917 until 1923. Aides made use of cutting-edge therapeutic techniques at the bedside, teachers practiced occupational therapy with the disabled, and a team of surgeons performed miracles in maxillofacial surgery. Nurses and corpsmen worked tirelessly with civilian organizations and local businesses to care for over 20,000 servicemen. The sight of the 48-star American flag waving over the fort provided reassurance and comfort to the healing veterans who fought "to make the world safe for democracy." " ... it was we, who had to recreate out of the wreckage of war -- clean and useful men..." -- Nurse Emile Raine Williams
13. FTMCEX_161014_099.JPG: Hospital No. 2
14. FTMCEX_161014_102.JPG: These jawbones...
15. FTMCEX_161014_114.JPG: "... to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." -- The Organic Act of 1916
16. FTMCEX_161014_116.JPG: 1922: In 1922, President Warren G. Harding visited the soldiers of General Hospital No. 2 to dedicate a huge bronze statue of the Greek hero Orpheus in honor of Francis Scott Key. A new era of national memory for Fort McHenry had begun. The following decade saw the demolition of the hospital, restoration of the grounds and refurbishment of historic structures. The declaration of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as the official national anthem of the United States in 1931 gave the park nationwide significance, and the US Army transferred Fort McHenry to the National Park Service in 1933. In 1939 Congress again honored Fort McHenry by re-designating it a National Monument and Historic Shrine, the only site in the National Park Service with this dual designation. Visitation continued to rise during the 1930s in spite of the Great Depression, but the start of a second World War would give the fort a new mission. From Active Post to National Monument and Historic Shrine, 1925-1939
17. FTMCEX_161014_125.JPG: 1942: Semper Paratus ... Fort McHenry in World War II: When the storm of World War II broke upon the United States with the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans turned to Fort McHenry for inspiration and service. Although the fort remained open to visitors, the United States Coast Guard established a fire control and port security training facility on the adjacent grounds. During the course of the war, over 26,000 men and women trained here. Port security was a top priority. Coastguardsmen patrolled nearby dry docks where ships were built, guarded ammunition dumps, and performed security duties on foreign ships. As the war progressed, training in shipboard firefighting, damage control, and fire safety took precedence. Many of these techniques are still used today. The fort and its flag acted as a beacon of inspiration throughout the conflict. The first captured Japanese flags were displayed here as war trophies in 1942. Enlistment ceremonies, recruiting drives, and special radio broadcasts all stressed the importance of the birthplace of the National Anthem. "I remember raising the flag over the fort for morning colors. That was a big honor for me." -- Peter Mozzo, US Coast Guard
18. FTMCEX_161014_128.JPG: Centennial and World War I
19. FTMCEX_161014_135.JPG: Throughout our nation's history, Fort McHenry and the American flag have had many meanings. In 1814, they represented the honor of a young republic fighting to preserve its freedoms. During the Civil War many Americans viewed them as symbols of liberty while others saw them as representing despotism. As Americans confronted totalitarianism and global wars in the 20th century, the role of the fort and symbol of the flag expressed a people's commitment to democracy at home and abroad. Although no longer a military post, the flag still flies at dawn' early light each morning "o'er the ramparts." Fort McHenry possesses power of place. Seeing the American flag waving over the Fort today, what meanings and impressions come to your mind? You are making history today by visiting the fort
20. FTMCEX_161014_143.JPG: Visiting Fort McHenry
21. FTMCEX_161014_145.JPG: Armistead Monument, 1918
22. FTMCEX_161014_151.JPG: What memories will you take with you from your visit to Fort McHenry?
23. FTMCEX_161014_153.JPG: Visitor activities at Fort McHenry changed with the fort's use over time
24. FTMCEX_161014_159.JPG: Local Residents Saved Fort McHenry
25. FTMCEX_161014_163.JPG: The Power of Place
26. FTMCEX_161014_176.JPG: Eyewitness to the Bombardment
27. FTMCEX_161014_187.JPG: Battle-Hardened Veterans: From the British perspective, the Battle of North Point represented a small action in a relatively minor war. Before coming to America, three of the four regiments engaged, the 4th, 44th, and 85th had fought against French forces for several years. In Europe, under the leadership of the Duke of Wellington, they participated in battles involving over 90,000 soldiers in campaigns lasting months. Discipline, endurance, and steadfastness under fire marked a professional soldier during the Napoleonic era. With the collapse of the French Empire in 1814 many British subjects looked forward to an era of peace and a quick conclusion to the war with America. " ... march, I say, over the hills and far away -- over the hills and o'er the main, to Flanders, Portugal and Spain[,] King George commands and we'll obey, over the hills and far away." -- Traditional British army song, "Over the Hills and Far Away"
28. FTMCEX_161014_194.JPG: A British General Is Killed Before the Battle of North Point, both sides traded 'light' fire, or skirmished, in order to determine the position and strength of the opposing force. Major General Robert Ross, commanding the British forces, heard the skirmishing at Gorsuch Farm and rode ahead to survey the terrain and direct the upcoming battle. As the gunshots rang out, Ross fell mortally wounded. Respected by his men for leadership and bravery, his death proved a blow to British morale. Although the British won a tactical victory at North Point, the death of General Ross, fierceness of the Maryland militia and loss of 300 casualties made the British high command reluctant to attack the American entrenchments on the outskirts of Baltimore the following day. " ... my gallant and highly valued friend, the Major General, received a musket ball through his arm into his breast, which proved fatal to him... Our country sir, has lost one of its best and bravest soldiers..." -- George Cockburn, Rear Admiral, 1814
29. FTMCEX_161014_198.JPG: The Fog of War: Combat in 1814 could be both personal and impersonal. The short range of weapons meant that you would often be close enough to see the individual faces of the enemy at which you aimed. The tremendous amount of smoke produced by muskets and cannon, on the other hand, would at times completely obscure the other side, and each side would then fire blindly in the direction of the enemy. The fog of war made it difficult to assess the true nature and outcome of a battle. In his after-action report, Colonel Arthur Brooke wrote that the British had faced over 7,000 Americans, when less than 1,500 had fought. "... such was the denseness of the smoke, that it was only when a passing breeze swept away the cloud for a moment, that either force became visible to the other." -- Lt. George Gleig, 85th Regiment of Foot
30. FTMCEX_161014_201.JPG: The Battle Key did not see... North Point, September 12, 1814 Before bombarding Fort McHenry, the British fought a bloody engagement with American militia six miles from Baltimore known as the "Battle of North Point." From a truce ship four miles away, Francis Scott Key heard the distant gunfire and saw the British casualties returning to the fleet. This battle and Key's anger at the British invasion is commemorated in the third stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner." -- " ... their blood has washed out their foul footsteps pollution. No refuge could save, the hireling and slave from the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave..." Although a portion is preserved, most of the battlefield became a housing development in the 1950s.
31. FTMCEX_161014_204.JPG: North Point, September 12, 1814 Before bombarding Fort McHenry, the British fought a bloody engagement with American militia six miles from Baltimore known as the "Battle of North Point." From a truce ship four miles away, Francis Scott Key heard the distant gunfire and saw the British casualties returning to the fleet. This battle and Key's anger at the British invasion is commemorated in the third stanza of "The Star-Spangled Banner." -- " ... their blood has washed out their foul footsteps pollution. No refuge could save, the hireling and slave from the terror of flight and the gloom of the grave..." Although a portion is preserved, most of the battlefield became a housing development in the 1950s.
32. FTMCEX_161014_208.JPG: Mission Accomplished
33. FTMCEX_161014_216.JPG: Fighters for Freedom
34. FTMCEX_161014_228.JPG: Introduction
35. FTMCEX_161014_234.JPG: Who Was George Armistead? (1780-1818)
36. FTMCEX_161014_241.JPG: The Lynchpin of Defense
37. FTMCEX_161014_247.JPG: Planning a Battle
38. FTMCEX_161014_261.JPG: While the stripes and blue field were made of English wool bunting, Mary Pickersgill used cotton, a more expensive fabric, for the stars.
39. FTMCEX_161014_264.JPG: Did Francis Scott Key really see the flag? Was this the largest flag ever flown? Why does the flag have fifteen stripes? Do the colors red, white and blue have an official meaning?
40. FTMCEX_161014_272.JPG: Did Francis Scott Key really see the flag? Key stated that he saw "the flag of our country" waving over the fort the morning after the battle. Other eyewitness include Private Isaac Munroe, a soldier at the fort who remarked that the large flag was hoisted at 9:00am as the fifes and drums played, "Yankee Doodle." One British eyewitness, Midshipman Robert Barrett, Royal Navy, wrote of seeing "a superb and splendid ensign" over the fort the morning after the attack. Was this the largest flag ever flown? No, in 1802 Armistead ordered a flag for Fort Niagara that was 36 x 48 feet. Three years after the War of 1812, the Secretary of War issued ordered that garrison flags were not to exceed 20 feet hoist by 40 feet fly. Why does the flag have fifteen stripes? The flag was altered by the Second Flag Act of 1794. The additional stars and stripes represent the new states of Vermont (1791) and Kentucky (1792). Do the colors red, white and blue have an official meaning? There is no official evidence for the symbolism attributed to the flag colors. However, many Americans find meaning in the belief that red stands for valor, white for liberty and blue for justice or loyalty.
41. FTMCEX_161014_274.JPG: Fame and Sacrifice
42. FTMCEX_161014_281.JPG: What is Original?
43. FTMCEX_161014_296.JPG: Guardhouse... The "Home" of the National Flag
44. FTMCEX_161014_302.JPG: Guardhouse... Keeping Watch Over the Fort
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